According to Variety, the cast and production crew for the movie left London on Sunday (January 20) for Canada, to continue shooting the movie. The sudden death of Heath Ledger has changed their plans.
Producers have not yet decided what they will do with this $30 million film that also stars Christopher Plummer and Tom Waits. Having Ledger star in the film helped justify the elevated budget for this movie.
Ledger was playing a mysterious stranger who joins a mission in many parallel worlds, and has the responsibility to deliver Dr. Parnassus’ daughter to him.
In addition to this film, the 28-year-old actor was beginning to try out his talent as a director, by doing a movie adaptation of the book The Queen’s Gambit, by Walter Trevis.
Terry Gilliam, director of The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, could see Ledger as a director. “Heath is extraordinary. He’s just so good, and he’s going to be a film director. He’s watching everything, and he’s going to be a much better director than I will ever be."